Third person point-of-view - Third person points-of-view (e.g., he, she, it, and they as well as their accusative,
dative, and possessive forms) should be used. No first and second person
points-of-view (e.g., I, you, we)
are used in academic writing.

Characteristics of academic writing

Purpose

General
purpose - to present information that
displays a clear understanding of a subject

Specific purpose - varies according to the assignment:

Argument and Persuasion - To persuade readers to accept the writer's opinion

Exposition* - To explain something

Description - To describe something

Narration - To tell a
story

* The purpose of writing in HSC English 181 and 182 is
exposition.

What
is expository writing?

Expository writing is an explanation of a
topic by answering the following questions:

Structure of academic writing

Introduction

Identifies the focus, or thesis, that is developed in the main
part (body) of the essay

There are several ways to draw the reader’s
attention to the subject:

Open with a series of
questions about the topic.

Present
startling or unusual facts or figures.

Define
an important, subject related term.

Quote
a well known person or literary work.

Body

Developmental paragraphs (body paragraphs)
are the heart of an essay.

They must clearly and
logically support the thesis.

They must be arranged in the best possible way, e.g.
chronologically, order of importance, etc.

The paragraphs
should flow smoothly from one to the next, e.g. the first sentence in each new
paragraph serves as an effective link to the preceding paragraph. In addition,
minor supporting ideas are linked together within the paragraphs in a smooth
manner.

Conclusion

The conclusion is the summary paragraph. It
should accomplish the following:

·Remind the
reader of the paper's thesis by paraphrasing it

·Tie together
all of the important points in the essay by way of a summary and draw a final
conclusion for the reader.

Development

General-to-specific sequence

The topic sentence
should be the first sentence in a paragraph. The topic sentence is a general
statement introducing the paragraph and is followed by specific details that
expand, explain, or illustrate the topic sentence.

Unity

All the sentences
should relate to one topic.

Completeness

Supporting ideas
should be developed enough to cover the topic.

Coherence

Coherence equals
connection and consistency. All sentences in a paper should be related
logically and grammatically to make a whole that allows the reader to follow
the writer’s train of thought step by step. Body paragraphs should flow
smoothly from one to the next, e.g. the first sentence in each new paragraph
serves as an effective link to the preceding paragraph. In addition, minor
supporting ideas are linked together within the paragraphs in a smooth manner.
Within a paragraph, there are three major ways to develop coherence through
related sentences:

1.Repetition of important words and pronouns - Repetition of key words helps the reader
follow from sentence to sentence as important terms are defined and the
relationship between them is explained.

2.Synonyms and substitutions - Synonyms are two or more words that have
nearly the same thing. Substitution is a word that describes the subject.

3.Transitional expressions - Transitional expressions are words and
phrases that point out the exact relationship between one idea and another, one
sentence and another, e.g. therefore, however, for example, finally, etc.

Just as the
sentences within a paragraph should flow smoothly, so the paragraphs within an
essay should be clearly linked one to the next. The first sentence of each new
paragraph is linked to the thesis statement or to the paragraph before. The
following are four ways to link paragraphs:

1.Repetition of key words or ideas from the
thesis statement

2.Reference to words or ideas from the
preceding paragraph

3.Use of transitional expressions

4.Use of transitional sentences

A closer look at development

Comparison and Contrast

There are two ways
to present similarities and differences between two things being compared or
contrasted.

Block (whole vs. whole)

This method presents
all the information about A and then provides parallel information about
B.

First all A:Point
1

Point 2

Point 3

Then all B:Point 1

Point 2

Point 3

This pattern is
good for short compositions. The reader can easily remember what was said about
A by the time he or she gets around to B.

Point-by-point (topic by topic)

This method moves
back and forth between A and B, presenting one point about A
and then going to the parallel point about B. Then, it moves to the next
point and does the same.

First A, Point
1Then B, Point 1

First A, Point
2Then B, Point 2

First A, Point
3Then B, Point 3

This pattern is
better for longer papers, where it might be hard for the reader to remember
what the writer said about A by the time he or she gets to B a
few paragraphs later. By going back and forth, the writer makes it easier for
the reader to keep the contrasts or comparisons in mind.

Extended Definition

There are five
basic methods to expand a definition:

1.Comparing it to something else

2.Telling what it is not

3.Describing it in detail

4.Classifying it by explaining the different
kinds

5.Using exemplification

Process

There are two kinds
of process essays:

1.The how-to essay gives readers
directions on how they can do something, e.g. perform a chemistry experiment.
This process is generally written in the passive voice.

2.The explanation essay tells readers
how something develops, e.g., photosynthesis, plasmodium, the life cycle of the
malarial parasite, etc. This process is generally written in the active voice
and uses simple present tense.

Citing sources

Why use quotations,
paraphrases, and summaries?

Quotations,
paraphrases, and summaries serve many purposes:

·Provide proof
or credibility to one’s writing

·Refer to work
that leads up to the work the writer is doing now

·Give examples
of two or more points of view on a subject

·Add depth or
breadth to one’s writing

What are the differences
between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing?

Quoting

Quotations must
match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original
author.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is
putting another person’s ideas into one’s own words using one’s own sentence
structure and style of writing. A paraphrase simplifies a selection; it does
not necessarily shorten it. Paraphrased material must also be attributed to the
original source.

Summarizing

To summarize, one
must put the main thoughts or ideas into one’s own words, but it is only
necessary to include the “main points.” Summarizing cuts a selection down to
about one-third of its original length. Its purpose is to shorten a passage
without sacrificing its basic meaning. Once again, it is necessary to attribute
the ideas to the original source.

What is meant by APA
reference and parenthetical citation?

The reference page
and parenthetical citation are necessary in essays that contain ideas that are
not based on background knowledge and are not commonly known; in other words,
this is information that comes from source material.

Science students
use the APA reference style sheet, one of many style sheet conventions, as a
guideline for accurate formatting of academic papers.

Following the
guidelines of such a style sheet is important for three reasons:

1.The reader can gain deeper knowledge of a
subject matter.

2.The reader can check for the relevance of
summaries, paraphrases, and quotations.